Appropriate Age for child to count calories?

angelicazaldivar

Hi

I have a 12 year old boy, who has always been on the heavier side, and dr's have stated concern more often than not during exams. he is 4'11" and weighs 124, and carries it all in his stomach (which makes his really self conscious ). He is currently in wrestling 3x week, but will soon be doing football. He is right there on the cusp of two different teams, and has asked me if i would PLEASE help him lose 10 lbs by July so he can be in the younger of the two groups (this is his first year, and he is REALLY nervous about going with older kids, because they would be 13 and 14 -- the group he wants to be in is 11 and 12 year olds). What are your thoughts? Should i just encourage him to think about his choices and guide him without going into detail (logging/measuring) like i do for myself? At what age is it appropriate to start teaching your kids what calories are and the different nutrients, etc. He is homeschooled as well, so this isnt something he will be learning in public school -- its all up to me.

Thank u!!

cramernh

Hi

I have a 12 year old boy, who has always been on the heavier side, and dr's have stated concern more often than not during exams. he is 4'11" and weighs 124, and carries it all in his stomach (which makes his really self conscious ). He is currently in wrestling 3x week, but will soon be doing football. He is right there on the cusp of two different teams, and has asked me if i would PLEASE help him lose 10 lbs by July so he can be in the younger of the two groups (this is his first year, and he is REALLY nervous about going with older kids, because they would be 13 and 14 -- the group he wants to be in is 11 and 12 year olds). What are your thoughts? Should i just encourage him to think about his choices and guide him without going into detail (logging/measuring) like i do for myself? At what age is it appropriate to start teaching your kids what calories are and the different nutrients, etc. He is homeschooled as well, so this isnt something he will be learning in public school -- its all up to me.

Thank u!!

MFP is not a site customized for children/kids....

As far as caloric intake that is right for your kid(s), you need to go right back to that office and ask for a referral to a Registered Dietician who specializes in working with Pediatrics where this definitely entails a medical-related scenario....

cramernh

Hi

I have a 12 year old boy, who has always been on the heavier side, and dr's have stated concern more often than not during exams. he is 4'11" and weighs 124, and carries it all in his stomach (which makes his really self conscious ). He is currently in wrestling 3x week, but will soon be doing football. He is right there on the cusp of two different teams, and has asked me if i would PLEASE help him lose 10 lbs by July so he can be in the younger of the two groups (this is his first year, and he is REALLY nervous about going with older kids, because they would be 13 and 14 -- the group he wants to be in is 11 and 12 year olds). What are your thoughts? Should i just encourage him to think about his choices and guide him without going into detail (logging/measuring) like i do for myself? At what age is it appropriate to start teaching your kids what calories are and the different nutrients, etc. He is homeschooled as well, so this isnt something he will be learning in public school -- its all up to me.

Thank u!!

MFP is not a site customized for children/kids....

As far as caloric intake that is right for your kid(s), you need to go right back to that office and ask for a referral to a Registered Dietician who specializes in working with Pediatrics where this definitely entails a medical-related scenario....

Shame on that doctor.... I would be having a FIELD DAY with that doctor of yours... I cant believe they let you leave that office with no appropriate information to work with or a referral to an RD.... and I work in healthcare, so it makes me doubly mad!

42kgirl

It's a fine line at this age. You don't want them to get all obsessed and eating disordered over it. The Boy had a couple lbs to lose. He, too, stores everything in his tummy and grows like an accordian. Out then up. His BMI is a big old mess because he's so muscular from gymnastics. That being said, WebMD has a program for kids that is kind of MFP lite. Helping them be aware of what they are eating and making healthier choices is better in the long run than strictly calorie counting IMO. However, if he is aware that this is just a tool and not the end all be all of his life, sign him up.

sngnyrslp

I don't have kids so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think it's fine to teach your kids how to read labels and understand what they're putting in their bodies. It helps them make healthy choices. But, I also think it's important to balance that with making your children aware that counting calories is not the most important thing in the world, that it's okay to snack in moderation, and that it's okay to not be "thin." I think it's a tough job, trying to teach your kids how to be aware of what they eat without making them hyperaware and stressed/self-conscious about it. But, I do think it can be done.

nataliefamily3

I personally would just buy healthy snacks cut up fruit in advance to make it acessable and encourage him to play outside or ride bike more. The weight loss should follow. I wouldnt really bring too much about calories into it just making more healthy choices. But my child is under two so not an expert here. Also would ask his dr for better info.

Gwoman2012

What does he eat in a typical day?

I wouldn't count/have him count his calories, but I would limit his intake of any junk food (processed) and fast food. Also, no soda or juice. This is good for the whole family so you don't have to seclude him.

geezer99

Absolutely get medical advice. Especially since, if he continues with wrestling he will be under pressure to drop weight on a regular basis. And coaches do not always give the best advice!

I think that it is never too young to teach healthy eating. When our son was about seven we had a sugar limit on the cereal we would buy (as I recall 11g per serving.) He had to learn to read the packages in the grocery store. It didn't take him long to get the idea that less was better rather than settle for a heavily advertised 11.

rides4sanity

I think I'd focus on portion sizes and healthy choices at this age, dropping weight to meet a fitness goal is great lesson. You could even make it a homeschool science type thing.

1) Power to weight ratios, losts of stuff in cycling and running about this.

2) Take some of his favorite foods and explain portions and daily needs (focus on what you need to fuel your day not what you can't have). Say you have a frozen pizza, ask different people, your son included, "If one serving is 300-450 calories, ~ 15-22% of your daily caloric allottment, how big is a serving?" Then compare our perception to the label, its an eye opener!

You can figure out his calorie requirements and guide his choices, but don't measure or be too strict about it. Good luck!

Oh, and explain that the more natural the food the better the fuel.

Ash_76

its very hard to advise on youth as there needs are vast and important cutting what he eats may do more damage than good, the nhs in the uk has been concerned about family health and created this website
http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Pages/change-for-life-families.aspx
please take some time to view it, you will find it rewarding

MaraDiaz

I think it's fine to teach your kids how to read labels and understand what they're putting in their bodies.

Laura_Suzie

I don't think you should make it about calories, but rather about nutrition. I was a very overweight child. When I was 12, I was 4'11" and 160 lbs. My mom would count my calories and it made me feel awful about myself. I can still remember one time when my mom caught me bingeing on goldfish crackers and her saying that I "didn't eat like a normal little girl". I know my mom loved me and wanted me to be healthy, but her obsessing over my calories and weight affected my self-esteem and today I still have body image and food issues.

Honestly, the best thing you can do for a child is just buy healthy things for them to eat. Also the fact that he is active helps tremendously. He really is not that overweight. Just cook and buy healthier foods and his weight will be taken care of naturally.

Sidesteal

In my opinion it depends on the child, but generally speaking I would think somewhere around high school age and even then only in limited circumstances.

If it were my child I would do my part to feed him better and encourage him to move more and I'd rely on that method first.

angelicazaldivar

Thanks every1. I am a made-from-scratch kind of mom when it comes to meals, and occasionally we will treat ourselves. I try to explain what foods are wonderful for you (fresh fruits, vegis) but i, myself, dont stress about eating organic, whole wheat, or clean by any means -- we eat what tastes good, fits in the budget, and since i make it from scratch, i typically fits in our jeans fine. lol. i came across a thing on a government website not long ago, completely by accident, that said for his age he should be eating 2200 cals a day, i was suprised cuz for me to MAINTAIN im supposed to eat 2400 myself, and this was his maintain goal. crazy. lol. as for the docs, i have had several different ones over the course of his life, and they have all made comments, done blood work, and sent me out of the office with 'eat more vegetables, less fruit, and dont dine out' as their master plan.

i share with him my weight loss successes, and at the same time, since he IS with me ALL the time, he sees what i eat. so he knows i dont starve myself, by any means. i eat whatever i want, but i limit and exchange certain things thru out the day and/or week to fit in the goodies.

he has ALWAYS believed 200% that he is fat, even tho he is anything but. he is a VERY healthy child (idk, maybe im biased cuz im mom)... drs have never pulled me aside to tell me about his weight, they always just right out say it, kids at school are obviously not polite about him being bigger than they are, and shopping for clothes has always been a pain in the *kitten*. he currently wears a 32x30 pans, i have to hem the legs atleast 8 inches if not more because they are way too long, but they fit snug in his waist.

he told me yesterday that he REALLY wants my help to help him lose the weight, and he will do whatever is necessary. and it REALLY sux cuz my 10 year old is 4'9" (only 2 inches shorter) but only weighs 74 lbs, and still fits into the pants he wore when he was 5 -- LITERALLY, they are just too short (obviously). so he is always seeing how my 10 year old could eat an elephant and not gain a single ounce.

EmmieSu

Homeschooling is a perfect opportunity to teach him healthy eating and exercise! I know my daughtera' ciriculum covers eating healthy and an active lifestyle in Health beginning in kindergarten. Teach him how to cook (health and home ec.), healthy foods. Explain, labels and teach him how to use them. Find a new activity (exercise), and incorporate it into your school day (think gym). I've taken my girls grocery shopping, and had them create a healthy menu, and then buy the actual ingredients. They learn many skills this way. You have an added bonus because you are basically the only person influencing what he eats. He doesn't go to school and have several options. Pizza vs. salad bar. Encourage healthy eating habits and activity, and he will learn from your example. Obiviously, he is seeing a change in you, or he wouldn't have asked. I also second, seeing the Dr. for more information.

danifo0811

I would teach some nutrition (macros, why we need them, portion size, general examples of food he likes and why some should be treats rather than everyday foods). Maybe go into examples of athlete diets.

After that I would be tempted to just provide healthy meals and snacks. tracking is something that easily leads to some OCD behaviors. For example, although I don't use a food scale, the idea of an adult using one doesn't bother me. The idea of a 12 year old does.

girlholiday

I don't think you should make it about calories, but rather about nutrition. I was a very overweight child. When I was 12, I was 4'11" and 160 lbs. My mom would count my calories and it made me feel awful about myself. I can still remember one time when my mom caught me bingeing on goldfish crackers and her saying that I "didn't eat like a normal little girl". I know my mom loved me and wanted me to be healthy, but her obsessing over my calories and weight affected my self-esteem and today I still have body image and food issues.

Honestly, the best thing you can do for a child is just buy healthy things for them to eat. Also the fact that he is active helps tremendously. He really is not that overweight. Just cook and buy healthier foods and his weight will be taken care of naturally.

THIS THIS THIS THIS.

I was always overweight when I was growing up, and my parent calorie counted for me. It completely ruined me. I wish I would have been taught more about healthy options, and had more healthy food in the house. Encourage healthy eating habits, and maybe go on walks together. I don't think calorie counting should really come into play. I know it lead me down a dangerous path when I got older.

angelicazaldivar

If it were my child I would do my part to feed him better and encourage him to move more and I'd rely on that method first.

he eats really well (as much so as our budget allows) at home, i make 99.9% of all of our meals from scratch, and make healthy substitutions where allowable. However, its when hes NOT home that trips him up he goes to visit his grandma during school breaks (spring, winter, etc) and she will let him eat 2 boxes of frozen waffles with half a bottle of maple syrup for breakfast, and similar stuff ALL DAY LONG, EVERY DAY. she has a son that is in high school and is a wrestler and she ALLOWS him to CUT WEIGHT (10 lbs in 4 days) kind of thing, by starving himself and doing extra workouts. She told my son that the foods she gives me (like i listed before) are good for him, and will help him with his weight! i just dont understand (btw, its NOT my mother or my husbands mother -- its my husbands ex-wifes mother) WHY would she do that to him!? my sons mother, aunt, and his grandma are all very much overweight and have a million and one medical problems. what do i say to that when my son comes home and says grandma told me mcdonalds is good for me!?

myfitnessnmhoy

I don't think you should make it about calories, but rather about nutrition.

Honestly, the best thing you can do for a child is just buy healthy things for them to eat. Also the fact that he is active helps tremendously. He really is not that overweight. Just cook and buy healthier foods and his weight will be taken care of naturally.

^^^^ I came here to post something very similar. This, this, a thousand times THIS!!!!

Teach healthy eating habits, which starts with the food you keep in the house.

Do NOT teach obsessive calorie-counting or try to turn this into anything more than "eat healthy, exercise lots, the rest takes care of itself". That sort of thing is for adults with egos that can take a body blow from time to time and have the maturity to handle it.

My wife and I are both struggling to lose weight, and we've found that our obsessive nature at counting calories is starting to rub off on our 9-year-old, so we don't talk calories at the dinner table any more. Instead, we point out the nutrition in each item, and why it's good to eat lots of this but enjoy that in moderation.

angelicazaldivar

I don't think you should make it about calories, but rather about nutrition. I was a very overweight child. When I was 12, I was 4'11" and 160 lbs. My mom would count my calories and it made me feel awful about myself. I can still remember one time when my mom caught me bingeing on goldfish crackers and her saying that I "didn't eat like a normal little girl". I know my mom loved me and wanted me to be healthy, but her obsessing over my calories and weight affected my self-esteem and today I still have body image and food issues.

Honestly, the best thing you can do for a child is just buy healthy things for them to eat. Also the fact that he is active helps tremendously. He really is not that overweight. Just cook and buy healthier foods and his weight will be taken care of naturally.

THIS THIS THIS THIS.

I was always overweight when I was growing up, and my parent calorie counted for me. It completely ruined me. I wish I would have been taught more about healthy options, and had more healthy food in the house. Encourage healthy eating habits, and maybe go on walks together. I don't think calorie counting should really come into play. I know it lead me down a dangerous path when I got older.

Thank you this is kind of what i was worried about. i really dont WANT to count calories for him, as i kind of thought it was unnecessary, but heres another question -- when discussing nutrition with him, should i explain the difference between good fats/bad fats and stuff like that? i should, right? and natural sugars compared to sugars in cereals, etc?

xxcatyxx555

don't have him count calories just swap his afternoon snack with something healthy like a banana (make sure its really ripe) and go for a walk with him a day, make it a scavenger hunt or a obstacle course with different non-food prizes, works every time:)